


You Coulda Told Me

by Onlymystory



Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2014-11-06
Packaged: 2018-02-24 09:30:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2576636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlymystory/pseuds/Onlymystory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathan and Duke have a tendency to keep secrets, but the reveal of one in particular changes their relationship for the better. </p><p>Or Nathan can feel Duke's touch and Duke makes the most of the moment when he finds out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Coulda Told Me

**Author's Note:**

> I’m watching Haven for the first time and I flip back and forth between whether I ship an OT3 of Audrey/Duke/Nathan or just Duke/Nathan and like Audrey as ace. Each of these little drabbles is written as I finish the episode that sparks my muse, so please no spoilers in the comments. 
> 
> This particular drabble makes the small change of having Evie be revealed as Duke’s ex-wife, just so I don’t have to fuss with adultery. Anyway, hope I do them justice.

Nathan says he might die as a firstborn, says it so casually, like the idea of his death has as much meaning to Duke as a comment on the weather. Duke can’t hide the way his voice chokes up, makes it hard to get out a witty retort, but he does, because he can’t admit the truth to Nathan Wuornos. Not right now at least.

* * *

 

Like so many other days, Nathan finds an excuse to bring Duke along on the case. Sometimes the excuses are easy. It’s a criminal element that Duke will understand, or they need a third person doing dirty work while they distract, or Duke has a connection to a case. Others tend to stretch the truth. Nathan’s rarely needed someone to watch his back, to guard the perimeter. Not being able to feel heightened his other senses, yet he lies and brings  Duke along one more time. He’s stopped feeling the need to give more than a basic excuse. Duke always shows up after all.

* * *

“You coulda told me about your dad,” says Duke, when he walks up with a shovel in hand. It matters why Nathan didn’t, but at the same time it doesn’t, because he was always going to be on that hill anyway.

“You coulda told me about your ex-wife,” returns Nathan and Duke laughs, like its just that easy.

He chuckles and starts digging, working in tandem silence with Nathan. What was he supposed to say? I was married once. I love fierce and raw and deeply and yet the people I love always leave me? Is he supposed to be expected to tell Nathan Wuornos that he didn’t mention Evie because she left too, but Nathan didn’t, and so that little spark of something continues to beat in Duke’s heart? He coulda said a lot of things, but he never could find the words.

* * *

Nathan is touched all the time. By people who know he’s troubled, by people who don’t. Most of the people who know the truth, don’t ever seem to consider that maybe they should ask permission, that they shouldn’t encroach on his space when he can’t feel them doing it. But for all people want their personal space bubble respected, most seem to love popping others.

Audrey hardly ever touches him and she telegraphs her moves from a mile away if she does. Nathan thinks its as much out of respect for him as it is personal preference. Audrey shies away from contact, doesn’t like it unless she initiates it. She’ll hug a troubled person on a case, squeeze a shoulder in comfort, shake hands easily, but its all contact initiated by her. Touch her without permission, and her entire demeanor changes.

Nathan is fairly certain that’s why she’s careful around him. She respects the boundaries and Nathan is grateful.

Duke touches Nathan rarely, but always casually, like a friendly clap on the back or reassuring himself that other people are there. What Nathan hates is having to pretend he never feels it unless he sees it too. He knows Duke knows. Duke’s known since they were kids with those stupid thumbtacks. The tacks he should have suspected, at least suspected something, but during a year when he felt nothing from anyone, that feeling of Duke Crocker’s hand on his back, was the only thing he focused on.

Now he thinks about it for much less innocent reasons, but he still thinks about it.

* * *

Duke pours them both whiskeys later that night, when Nathan is sitting on his boat and Audrey is dealing with other Audrey and the world still doesn’t make sense. He pads across the deck in stocking feet to where Nathan is staring at the stars, glasses in one hand and places his other on Nathan’s shoulder in a gesture of comfort before remembering. Nathan leans into it and then Duke sets the glasses down on the table, making Nathan aware of his presence. Nathan jumps like a skittish colt. Its not fast enough though, and this time Duke can see it for the cover it really is.

“You know what else you coulda told me?” he asks, taking a long drink as he sits across from Nathan.

“That you have decent taste in Scotch?” returns Nathan. “I figured your many acquaintances would have mentioned that.”

“You coulda told me you can feel my touch,” says Duke and he feels a flare of satisfaction as Nathan’s face pales.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No? You leaned into my hand a moment ago.”

“I saw you in my peripheral vision.”

Duke raises a skeptical eyebrow at that.

Nathan makes a face at him. “Cop remember? I do tend to be pretty aware of my surroundings.” He says it like he always does when Duke calls him out things, like his excuse makes perfect sense, like Duke is being ridiculous, and normally Duke would shrug and back off. But this time Nathan’s voice trembles a little and Duke is tired of letting things go. He throws back the rest of the whiskey and carelessly pitches himself forward, on his knees in front of Nathan.

He rests his hands on Nathan’s thighs, grounding himself as much as the man in front of him and asks again, “You want to tell me you can’t feel me? Really?”

“I can see you Duke.” Nathan’s voice is low and husky and he drains his own glass before setting it down as well.

“Then close your eyes,” insists Duke, “Let’s see what you don’t feel.”

Nathan obeys, why Duke will never know, just closes his eyes and smirks like he can prove him wrong. Duke moves his hands up Nathan’s thighs, proud of the control that Nathan exudes, until Duke’s thumbs graze over Nathan’s crotch as his fingers grip Nathan’s hips, and he twitches in Duke’s grasp. “But you didn’t feel that, right?”

“Feel what? I don’t…” Nathan snaps but his voice chokes off as Duke slides his hands under Nathan’s shirt, fingers tracing the muscle lines before he reaches high enough to pinch Nathan’s nipples. He keens under Duke’s touch, and Duke can’t help the devilishly pleased grin that follows. Duke grips Nathan tighter, leans in more, right up to Nathan’s ear, nipping at the lobe and feeling ridiculously pleased by the moan Nathan lets out. “You coulda told me you wanted me to touch you,” he whispers before pulling away.

Nathan’s eyes fly open, and he swears a muttered “son of a bitch”, before he’s surging forward, chasing Duke and tangling his hands in Duke’s hair. “You always have to push,” he gripes as he tugs Duke back to him, lips finally meeting in admission and surrender.

Duke goes willingly, just as he always does when Nathan wants him, kissing back as fiercely as he does anything else, more turned on by the knowledge that Nathan can feel this than by his own pleasure. They kiss for long moments on their knees under the stars, until one or the other, Duke isn’t sure which, pulls back first and they’re both left panting heavily.

“You coulda told me you were in love with me,” teases Nathan, his eyes dark and desperate.

“Pot, kettle,” returns Duke and he surges back up to answer Nathan’s unspoken plea.


End file.
